Maria Lipińska: In Poland, the number of infections is increasing, but cemeteries are open to visitors provided that they wear a mask. Some fear that there will be crowds in cemeteries during All Saints’ Day and the risk of contamination will increase. How would you react to the present situation?
Father Paweł Gużyński, Dominican: Two weeks ago, during the liturgy, a passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes was read that “Everything has its time, and there is an appointed hour for all things under heaven.” I am quoting this text because it should be reasonable. In everything you need to be able to find the appropriate measure in the context of a specific situation. This can also be seen in another, evangelical context. In the Gospel according to St. Mark describes Jesus’ quarrel with the Pharisees: “Have you never read what David did when he found himself in need, and he and his companions were hungry? How he entered God’s house under Abiathar, the high priest, and ate showbread that only Priests may eat freely, and he also gave his companions: And he added, It is a sabbath that was made for man, not man for the sabbath. ” The Pharisees were scandalized by what Jesus told them. It is clear from the Gospel that a basic human need of hunger can justify violating a religious prohibition or command. In this perspective, we should look at what is happening right now.
If we have such a huge increase in infections in Poland, and visits to cemeteries are usually associated with the migration of people throughout the country, then reason and piety, properly understood, should persuade people to stay at home. Nothing bad will happen because of this. If anyone is concerned that this important tradition may suffer because of it when exceptionally in a situation pandemic we do not visit the cemeteries, this is contrary to the reason and spiritual wisdom flowing from the Holy Scriptures.
And how do the words that going to cemeteries is a “great Polish tradition” have to do with it?
Father Gużyński: The tradition that joined All Saints’ Day to the Celebration of All Saints is of medieval provenance, it derives from monastic customs. It was then that people began to look more broadly at the liturgical memory of our deceased relatives. Behold, the day after God is honored for His glory, which is revealed to all saints, one should also pray for all the dead that they too may receive the glory of heaven. That is why we should visit cemeteries on November 2nd, not the 1st. Subcutaneously, however, we are closer to the cult of the dead than to faith in the promise of eternal life. Hence, we are convinced that if we fail to fulfill the obligation to visit the cemetery, our ancestors will somehow harm us. We are simply afraid of our dead.
Will God be offended if we don’t go to the cemetery?
Father Gużyński: In the era of a pandemic, neither the dead will be offended, much less God, if we stay at home this time. The context in which we find ourselves should induce us to restraint and a great deal of common sense. Unfortunately, people will do it anyway, because they still don’t believe this one virus it kills, and they often treat religious precepts with a complete misunderstanding of their meaning and purpose. They are ready to go to the cemetery over the dead bodies.
What can we do instead of going to the cemetery? How to survive all Saints?
Father Gużyński: Rather All Saints and All Souls’ Day. In these extraordinary circumstances, sincere prayer for our deceased loved ones is completely sufficient. This is the key thing. If we stay at home and in the form we choose, devote our attention to the dead in prayer, we will do whatever is needed.
Father Gużyński also noted that the lack of clear official messages from the Church on this matter raises many questions and ambiguities among the faithful. The pastoral task of bishops and priests is to ensure that the faithful understand the meaning of the Passover, that is, the passage from death to life. There is no such thing as the Christian cult of the dead.
